EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, March 8, 2005 - Xanterra Parks & Resorts,
the concessioner at Everglades National Park's Flamingo Lodge & Marina,
has received the prestigious ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
Standard Certification.
ISO 14001 is an international Environmental Management System (EMS)
standard published by the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO). The goal of ISO 14001 is to support environmental protection and
pollution prevention. While widely used in Europe and Japan, the certification
is relatively new in the U.S.
"This certification is the most significant achievement of our environmental
efforts in the past year," said Peter Hulse, general manager of Flamingo
Lodge & Marina. "Developing a formal EMS has, for example, assisted
the cooperative recycling program between Xanterra Parks & Resorts
and the National Park Service in Everglades National Park. Working together,
the two entities share labor, resources and equipment to maintain and continually
improve recycling efforts for the park."
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Flamingo Lodge & Marina
Hwy. 9336, Flamingo Florida 33034
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ISO 14001 certification is a rigorous and very complicated process
and is the result of multi-faceted environmental initiatives, Hulse noted.
ISO 14001 certification must be renewed each year, and Xanterra must continually
improve its Environmental Management System standards in order to maintain
certification.
Among the initiatives implemented at Flamingo Lodge & Marina are:
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Flamingo Lodge & Marina has been certified by the Florida Department
of Environmental Protection as a Clean Marina since 2003. With more
than 2000 marinas in the state of Florida, only 94 are certified. The marina
operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts in Everglades National Park was
the first marina under federal or state contract to receive certification.
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"Best Management Practices" of the Environmental Management System at Everglades
include an Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policy, vendor encouragement
to use environmentally friendly packaging and use of environmentally friendly
cleaning products.
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Additional Best Management Practices include serving only environmentally
sustainable fish and providing certified organic fair trade coffee.
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The solid waste management program recycled more than 36 tons of solid
waste in 2004.
Xanterra has been widely recognized for its environmental initiatives and
programs in its operations in other parks. Key initiatives include:
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Receiving ISO 14001 Standard Certification for its operations at Mount
Rushmore, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon South Rim, Crater
Lake, Painted Desert Oasis and Grand Canyon North Rim.
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Becoming the first hospitality company and the eighth company worldwide
to commit to an absolute reduction target in greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide)
emissions through a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and the Center
for Energy & Climate Solutions.
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Publishing a Sustainability Report documenting specific results of its
environmental management system.
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Being the first U.S. hospitality company to ban certain types of fish species
deemed harmful to the environment.
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Becoming the first U.S. hospitality company to be granted the "Chain of
Custody" certification from the Marine Stewardship Council.
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Being the first hospitality company to receive certification from the U.S.
Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
(LEED) program for a residential home.
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Using renewable wind energy to power 15 percent of all electricity demands
at both Zion and Crater Lake National Parks.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts operates lodges, restaurants and other concessions
at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra is the country's
largest national park concessioner. The company operates concessions in
the following locations: Yellowstone National Park, the North and South
Rims of Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National
Park, Crater Lake National Park, Death Valley National Park, Petrified
Forest National Park, Everglades National Park, and Mount Rushmore National
Memorial; and at resorts in Napa, Calif.; Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and seven
Ohio State Parks. |